19 January 2006 Edition

SDLP accused of settling for less

Conor Murphy

Power sharing - SDLP must come clean on discussions with unionists

The SDLP must come clean on their discussions with unionists about diluting
the power sharing arrangements of the Good Friday Agreement, Sinn Féin's
Conor Murphy told a Stormont press conference this week. This is not the
first time the SDLP's has acted outside the collective interests of northern
nationalists to concede ground to unionist intransigence.

"The only basis for moving forward is the route mapped out in the Good
Friday Agreement and the two governments need to make that clear to the
parties. Sinn Féin will not countenance a move away from the fundamental
principles which underpin the Agreement," said Murphy.

Responding to information suggesting that the SDLP had engaged in
discussions with the Ulster Unionist Party on the basis of arrangements
outside the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, he described the situation
as "disappointing".

"Nine months ago the SDLP put forward proposals which involved scrapping the
power sharing executive and replacing it with administrators, appointed by
the governments, to run the various departments. This was unacceptable then
and it is unacceptable now," said the Sinn Féin MP.

"Power sharing and inclusion are at the core of the Agreement. This is what
was agreed by the parties and endorsed in referendum by the vast majority of
the people North and South," said Murphy.

Unionist political leaders have no longer any excuse for refusing to
re-engage in the institutions on the basis of the Agreement.

Accusing the SDLP of being prepared to settle for less, Murphy described it
as ironic that just as the governments were about to convene a new round of
political negotiations involving all the parties the SDLP appear to be
providing anti-Agreement unionism with a cop-out clause.

"Anti-Agreement unionism will be well pleased to hear that the SDLP are
prepared to settle for less than the full restoration of the political
institutions. The SDLP proposals provide unionists with a basis for further
procrastination and with some encouragement they may achieve a major
dilution of the Agreement," said Murphy.

"Settling for less than power sharing will reopen the prospect of a return
to unionist rule in the North. The SDLP must clarify where they stand with
regards to power sharing. Any dilution of the power sharing arrangements
which underpin the Agreement will undermine efforts to bring about full
restoration of the political institutions," said Murphy.

Meanwhile, the DUP appears to be attempting to undermine any meaningful
reinstatement of the institutions by refusing to share power on the basis of
equality and respect. Any exclusion of the largest nationalist party in the
North, Sinn Féin, will necessarily reinstate unionist domination. No wonder
unionists are hoping the SDLP will endorse this strategy.

The DUP has already declared that it will not share power with Sinn Féin
"for the foreseeable future". It was too early for unionism to trust or talk
to Sinn Féin said Ian Paisley. Instead the DUP is to present a 16-page
document to the British Prime Minister designed to exclude Sinn Féin.

Paisley was unwilling to commit his party to power sharing on the basis of
equality and respect, said Sinn Féin's West Tyrone MP, Pat Doherty. The two
governments needed to make it clear that the only way forward was the
roadmap set out in the Good Friday Agreement. Paisley was challenging the
democratic standing of the agreement and the two government's commitment to
it, said Doherty.

"Sinn Féin will not countenance a move away from the fundamental principles
that underpin the Good Friday Agreement. The DUP cannot be allowed to block
forward movement towards the re-establishment of the political institutions.
Republicans have delivered on every commitment given. It is now time for
others to do likewise," said Doherty.